MORE than 1,000 jobs were under threat today, including in excess of 100 Aintree roles, after retailer Carphone Warehouse announced it was pulling the plug on its UK Best Buy stores.

The company has launched a consultation about closing the 11 shops as it shifts its focus to selling more electronics goods through its Carphone Warehouse outlets.

Carphone hopes to find the “large majority” of the 1,100 staff roles elsewhere within the organisation.

Best Buy UK operates the so-called “big box” stores across the south east and midlands, which were launched in 2009 and were intended to shake up the electronics market with cheaper prices and better customer service.

But consumer electronics has been one of the hardest-hit sectors during the downturn.

The company said the market had suffered as a result of the economic downturn, online competition and the growth of new products, such as smartphones and tablet computers.

The business, which launched in a joint venture with US-based retail giant Best Buy, has invested heavily in marketing and promotional activity in a bid to get the brand off the ground, but has seen widening losses.

Best Buy has Big Box stores in Aintree, which opened in September 2010,Bristol, Croydon, Derby, Enfield, Hayes, Hedge End, Merry Hill, Nottingham, Rotherham and Thurrock.

It made a £62m loss in its first year and analysts expect a loss of £35m in the first half of 2011.